What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
by TheOnlyMrsDamonSalvatore
Summary: Edward is gone and someone has died, leaving a broken Bella. But this time, she has decided to fix herself with the help of those she loves. After all, what doesn't kill you must make you stronger, right?
1. Chapter 1

_**What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger**_

_This story has been on my mind for a while, so I decided I might write it all down. I hope you all enjoy it, and if you don't, well stop reading it. Sorry, I can't please everyone. Reviews are encouraged and cherished. So here it is, Chapter 1!_

_**Disclamer: **__I don't own the Twilight saga or its characters, all of that belongs to the one and only, Stephanie Meyer. I just thought it all needed a different outcome._

**Chapter 1 – Unloved**

_I tried to breathe normally. I needed to concentrate, to find a way out of this nightmare._

"_Goodbye, Bella," he said in the same quiet, peaceful voice._

"_Wait!" I choked out the word, reaching for him, willing my deadened legs to carry me forward._

_I thought he was reaching for me, too. But his cold hands locked around my wrists and pinned them to my sides. He leaned down, and pressed his lips very lightly to my forehead for the briefest instant. My eyes closed._

"_Take care of yourself," he breathed, cool against my skin._

_There was a light, unnatural breeze. My eyes flashed open. The leaves on a small vine maple shuddered with the gentle wind of his passage._

_He was gone._

I looked around me, blankly taking in my solitude. I could see my house just through the trees but I knew that if I went back, I would regret it. So I turned, and followed the non-existent path he left into the forest. I knew it was useless, but what else could I do? To give up now would mean to give up my life because it would simply lose all meaning. So I walked. For what I estimated to be hours, I trudged along. I fell more times than I could count but I felt no pain. It wasn't until I came to an unusual clearing with an ancient tree in the centre that I decided to stop. I was exhausted and plonked down on the ground at the base of the tree.

Ironically, the tree represented my heart. Dying, ugly and falling apart. With no one to care for it, the tree had become unruly and unhealthy.

"Unloved," I whispered into the air, looking up at the sky.

Dusk was falling. I knew Charlie would be home by now, no doubt worried. But the truth was I couldn't have gone home even if I wanted to. I was lost, and that fact frightened me a little but I also felt glad. If I was lost, that meant nobody could find me. Right now, I would be content just to curl up and fall asleep forever at the foot of my Heart Tree.

That thought made me laugh aloud, startling a bird from the tree. The laugh echoed through the clearing, sounding out of place in the quiet, almost depressing place I had somehow stumbled upon.

I sat up straighter, and slowly assessed the situation. I looked down at myself and saw I had mud all over my jeans. My jacket was torn at the sleeve and my hands were covered in cuts and forest floor debris. I raised my hands to my hair, and felt what I imagined looked like a birds nest. I plucked leaves and sticks from my curls and ran my fingers through them then deftly pulled it all up into a pony tail. I then moved on to the mess inside my head.

He had left. That much I knew. The sudden pain that ripped through my chest made me gasp and tears started streaming down my face. He was gone, and apparently never coming back. Even though I loved him, he didn't want me. He didn't want me. I felt rage boil deep inside me and I stood up, swiping tears from my face.

"You don't want me!" I screamed at the sky and my hands automatically wrapped around my torso, trying to contain the hurt. "I don't need you. I don't need you!" I repeated to myself, wishing it to be true. I was now shaking from the cold, my fear, and my fury.

I was startled when a squirrel ran into the clearing, ignoring me, and sprinted up to the branches of the old tree. It reminded me of a distant memory, when I was about seven years old.

I was visiting Charlie for two weeks in the school holidays. Charlie had been called into work so I had stayed with Grandma Swan for the day. We were sitting outside in her garden, watching the squirrels chase each other up and down the trees bordering her yard. There was a mother and her baby, up on a high limb of the maple tree right in front of us. As I watched, the baby fell and hit the ground with a nasty crunch. I had screamed, and tried to run over but Grandma had held me back.

"Watch now, Isabella." She had told me. And so I had looked on as the mother came scurrying down the tree, sniffed the dead child, and then ran away.

"What? Why wasn't she sad?" I was so confused. The mother should have been squirrel-crying or something, mourning the loss of her child.

"Isabella, when accidents happen you must to learn to move on. Mark my words, one day you'll lose somebody and you'll think you can't go on, that your life is over. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Grandma remarked, and then went back to her seat to finish her knitting.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I looked up at my Heart Tree and saw the squirrel looking down at me. And I decided I wouldn't let Edward's departure cripple me. I would grow and learn from it, and eventually move on. Of course it would probably take me quite a while to get over him, but I would do it. I would manage. And so I walked forward, patted my tree and promised somehow I would come back. I turned and started walking in the direction I thought I had come.

I heard a whispering rustle from a bush at the edge of the clearing and I spun around, squinting to see what had made the noise. I searched my pockets and found my keys, with a miniature LED torch dangling off them. I clicked the button and pointed the light at the tree line. That was when I saw it.

In the bushes stood a wolf. But it was unlike any wolf I had ever seen. It stood as tall as a horse, covered in russet fur splattered with black fleck. Its eyes were a deep brown, almost black and so intelligent. It stood stock still, meeting my gaze. Our eyes locked and a weird sensation shivered through my body. It took a step into the clearing and I was paralysed, not daring to move for fear of provoking it.

I was utterly shocked when it stopped right in front of me and sniffed my face. I shuddering breath I didn't realise I had been holding left my body and I shut my eyes. When I opened them the wolf stood on the other side of the tree, and I could have sworn it was waiting for me. I knew I had lost my mind when it whined and jerked it's head, as if beckoning me. Throwing caution to the wind, I followed it.

The wolf would bound forward then stop and turn towards me, waiting for me to catch up. Then it would continue forward with me clumsily stumbling after it. There was no room for rational thoughts in my head as I trailed after this strange animal. All I could do was hope that I wasn't crazy, and that this wolf was trying to help me.

We continued like this for about an hour and a half, and I honestly thought I was about to pass out. My eyelids were drooping and I fell over every two minutes. I was trying to climb over a fallen tree when I slipped and landed in the mud. Laying there on my stomach was quite relaxing, so I just stayed there with my eyes shut, no strength to move. There was a snuffling close to my head, and I felt the wolf's tongue lick the side of my face. _This is it,_ I thought, _it's going to eat me alive while I lay here on the forest floor._ But the wolf whined, then I heard its paws thump across the forest floor as it trotted away from me. I actually felt quite hurt that even it didn't want me.

I must have lost consciousness for some time, because the next thing I knew, strong arms were lifting me from the mud. I opened my eyes and looked up, seeing a bronze-skinned, black-haired man carrying me.

"Hey Bells, you okay?" said the man and I felt shock jolt through my body. My head was fuzzy and my vision slightly blurry but aside from that I felt fine. Physically at least.

"Jake?" I asked in disbelief, my voice weak. I saw a flash of white that had to be his smile.

"Who else?" he laughed.

"But your so… Jake your buff!" I pointed out. A laugh rumbled through his chest and I smiled too, but then his face turned serious.

"Bella, what were you doing in the forest?" he questioned, looking worryingly at me.

"I was lost," was all I said. He gave me a look, the look that meant he knew that wasn't the whole story.

"We'll talk about this later. At the moment, I think you'd better go in and deal with Charlie." Jacob warned me. I looked around and saw we were out the side of my house. He gently placed my feet on the ground, supporting my weight while I found my balance. "Are you sure you're okay? Do we need to go to the hospital?"

"I'm fine!" I assured him, smiling to prove it. He looked at me disbelievingly then shrugged.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning to check on you." He told me as he turned to walk away.

"No need!" I answered and he just laughed and shook his head as he got on his motor bike. I then realised that all the lights were out, which was odd because I had assumed that he would be up waiting for me to get home. I reached up and got the key from the ledge above the door, unlocked the door and went inside.

**A/N – **So that's the end of the first chapter, hope you all enjoyed it! Please review and tell me what you think!

**Beta Hunt – **I currently don't have a beta, and I've actually never had one before. If anyone's willing and able, please let me know.

Love Kaitlyn

xoxo


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – **_Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy chapter two!_

**Chapter 2 – Gone**

_I then realised that all the lights were out, which was odd because I had assumed that he would be up waiting for me to get home. I reached up and got the key from the ledge above the door, unlocked the door and went inside._

I hung my coat up and dumped my keys on the dresser as I wondered about Jacob. How did he even find me? And how did he get so damn big? I resolved to ask him tomorrow.

"Dad?" I called out into the seemingly empty house, receiving no answer. I decided he was in bed, maybe sick, and too exhausted to wait for me. He probably thought I was with Angela or Jacob or… Edward. I shuddered then pulled off my boots and shook my hair out.

It was pitch black so I felt my way along the wall of the lounge room and into the kitchen. From memory I knew exactly where the light switch was, across the room. But as I took a step towards it, my foot caught on something and I felt myself fall. A scream escaped my lips and I landed on the ground, my hands smacking the tiles. I squirmed around and shuffled backwards, frightened by the object I had tripped over. I scrabbled up the wall, flicked the switch and a shrieked in horror. Charlie was sprawled on the floor, eyes wide and staring. He wasn't moving.

"Dad? Oh my god!" I yelled, kneeling on the ground next to him, my hands flitting over his lifeless form helplessly. "Dad, wake up! Get up!" I felt the tears streaming down my cheeks as I continued to scream. "No! No Dad! Daddy?" I wrapped my arms around myself and a high keening noise vibrated from my chest.

I heard a bang and a crash from inside the house then; "Bella? Bells?" Jacob appeared in the doorway and was pulled up short by what he found.

"Holy fuck." He whispered then hurried over to the phone. I was holding Charlie's hand and rocking back and forth. I couldn't comprehend how I could lose the two people whom I loved so much on the same day. I felt warm arms wrap around me and heard Jacob whispering words of comfort in my ear.

"Dad… Edward… Daddy? Edward!" was all I could say in reply, shaking my head in denial, over and over again.

"Edward?" Jacob rumbled, looking down at me, "What happened in the woods Bella?"

"Gone. They're both gone! Don't go Jake!" I cried, turning and sobbing into his shoulder.

"Shh Bells, it'll be okay." He assured me, hugging me tighter, "I'll make sure of it. I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere."

I could hear sirens wailing in the distance, coming closer. But we still held onto each other. People were rushing into the house and taking control of the situation. But we still held onto each other. Men and women I didn't know were lifting my father's body onto a stretcher and covering him. But we still held onto each other. Two women were telling us we had to come down to the hospital; we had to get into the police car. But we still held onto each other.

"Officer! We need help over here. Bring a paramedic too!" One of the women called over her shoulder. Two men then appeared, one obviously the head of the police department and the other a doctor.

"What's wrong Mary?" The officer asked, looking first at Jacob, then at me.

"This is the daughter of Charlie, and her… friend?" she told him, "I think she's in shock or something, she won't let go."

"Bella isn't it?" he addressed me and I nodded mutely. "Honey, we need you to come with us. Please?" he asked gently, as if speaking to a volatile child.

"No." I whispered clinging to Jacob tighter.

"Young man?" The officer looked up at Jacob.

"She thinks I'll leave." Jake said gravely, "I think her boyfriend broke up with her just before she… found Charlie." His voice broke and I felt his chest tremble slightly. He cleared his throat and continued, "I had to promise I wouldn't let go, she was so worried about me leaving her."

"I see." The officer nodded, "John, think you can do anything?" he asked the paramedic. John stepped forward and looked at me.

"Well obviously she's suffered severe emotional trauma, so it's no wonder she won't let go." He shook his head sadly, looking into my eyes. "Bella, I know you're scared, but please will you come with us? Jacob will be with you the whole time, I promise." He added. I looked up at Jacob who nodded encouragingly at me. I separated myself from him but grabbed his head, holding on to it for dear life because truthfully, he was all I had left.

I sat on a cold, hard plastic chair with my head in my hands. Jacob was right next to me, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back, trying to keep me calm.

"So your saying," I said with a shuddering breath, "that my father had a heart attack at five thirty, and if I had of been home, I could have saved him?"

"That is correct." Dr. Robson replied sadly. I felt my eyes fill with tears of frustration, grief and exhaustion. "I'll give you two a minute, before the police come in to question." Dr. Robson then left the room.

"Bells, it's not your fault. There is no way you could've known this was going to happen." Jacob tried to tell me, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"It's my fault he's gone." I responded in a dead voice.

"Who? Your dad or Edward?" Jacob said venomously, making me flinch. "Aw shit, I'm sorry," Jacob grimaced, "That was uncalled for. It's just that Edward, well actually this whole situation makes me so angry." Suddenly he was on his feet, pacing while his whole body shook.

"Jake?" I questioned, "You okay?" Because I realized he had lost someone too, Charlie had been like a second father to him since he was young.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." He knelt before me, "But are you okay? Are you going to pull through?" He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear, searching my face.

"I don't know." I said simply, "I hope so." I felt my lip quiver and tears run down my face. He pulled me into a hug just as the door opened. Two police man entered, and you could tell one of them had been crying. Ajcob sat back down on the seat next to me.

The two men took seat across the table from us and the one on the left said; "Good morning Ms. Swan, . I'm Mark and this is George."

"Morning?" I sniffled.

"Yes, its four o'clock." Mark told me.

"Oh." I whispered, and realized that was why I felt so tired.

"So you have some questions for us?" Jacob asked, leaning forward in his chair, taking charge of the conversation.

"Yes we do," Mark nodded, "As you know, Charlie was the sheriff of Forks so of course his death would cause speculation. The doctors reported that he died of a heart attack, which isn't exactly suspicious but it still requires an investigation." I couldn't make sense of what he was saying, and that must have shown.

"We need to know if the death is suspicious or natural." George simplified for me.

"Okay, well what do you need to know?" Jacob replied.

"Bella, where were you? Where did you go after school?" Mark started.

"I went home. But then my boyfr- err, ex-boyfriend asked me to go for a walk with him." I informed him.

"Where did you walk to?"

"We went into the forest."

"How long were you there for?"

"We walked about ten minutes in and then he um, he broke up with me. He then left me, thought I could find my way back. Clean break and all. " My voice caught in my throat.

"It's okay." Jacob, whispered to me, squeezing my hand.

"But I was confused, and went the wrong way." I lied, "And I just kept walking around."

"Okay." Mark nodded skeptically.

"How did you find you way back?" George asked me.

"I found a trail, and followed it. I came out near our house after hours of walking." I stated.

"And where did Jacob come into all of this?" Mark added.

"He came in when I found Dad." My voice quavered. I hadn't really thought my alibi through.

"My dad had sent me over." Jake clarified, "He had been trying to call, but no one would pick up."

"Right, okay." George had been writing down everything on his notepad.

"When I found them in the kitchen, I called the ambulance and the rest you know." Jacob finished and I had to hold back a sigh of relief.

"Well thank you for your time." Mark stood up, followed my George. "We're sorry for your loss." He added gravely.

"Thanks." Was all I said in reply. One they had left the room I turned to Jacob. "I need to talk to you." I said, trying to sound stern but it came out exhausted.

"I know." He nodded sadly, "But first we had better head home and get some sleep." I felt my body jerk involuntarily.

"I can't go back there." I murmured, tears threatening to spill once more.

"I know that too. You can come home with me." He said simply, as if it were no big deal.

"Jake, are you sure?" I looked at him.

"Positive. You Can stay in Rach and Becca's room." He said matter-of-factly.

"Oh… Okay." I conceded. I was exhausted, grief-stricken and actually quite hungry and I could see no other solution.

"Let's go." He grabbed my hand and we went back out to the main office of the police station.

"Goodbye Jenna." I said to the lady behind the desk as we passed.

"Oh Bella!" she wailed and burst into tears for the third time that night.

"One of the officers rode my motorbike here for us." Jacob said when we got into the parking lot, gesturing towards his bike.

"You only have on helmet." I pointed out. He promptly put it on my head a clipped it up. I just sighed and shook my head as he got on the death trap.

"C'mon Bells." He saw me hesitate, "I promise it's perfectly safe."

"Sure, sure." I replied but again, I was too tired to argue. I got on behind him and wrapped my arm gingerly around his stomach.

"Hold on." He warned as he started it up, then suddenly we started forward. I couldn't help but scream as I held on tighter, my legs gripping the seat and my arms clenching around his body which I couldn't help but notice was extremely muscled for a seventeen year old.

We drove through Forks and out to La Push, and I was relieved when we made it to his house. We went inside and found Billy sitting at the table, his eyes red and puffy.

"Oh." I gasped and hurried forward, practically sitting in his lap and hugging him tightly. Tear were continuously falling and it was hard for me to breath.

"She's going to stay with us for a while." Jake notified Billy, and from the sound of his voice, I assumed he was crying too.

"Of course." Billy's voice was muffled because his head was buried in my hair which was crazy after the motorbike ride. "We'll take care of you Bella."

"I know." I replied as I pulled back, "thank you."

"C'mon Bells, I'll show you the girls' room." Jacob took my hand again and I looked up and saw the tears tracking down his face.

"Jake." I whispered, squeezing his hand.

He helped me clear some of the junk that had accumulated in the spare bedroom and we fixed the lamp. I then just collapsed onto the bed and Jake sat down near me.

"Oh Bells." He said, looking into my face.

"My life is wrong. It's changed so much in the past twenty four hours. How am I supposed to deal with this?" I choked out. He started stroking my face soothingly.

"Shh, just go to sleep." He whispered.

"But-" I pretested, my eyelids drooping.

"We'll figure it out." Was the last thing I heard before oblivious darkness took over.

**A/N –** Please review! Let me know what you think, and if I'm going to fast or not.

**Beta Hunt – **I still don't have a beta (or know what their role is), but if you're interested please message me!

Love Kaitlyn

xoxo


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